HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL—29 January 1986 529 OFFICIAL REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 29 January 1986 The Council met at half-past Two o'clock PRESENT HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR (PRESIDENT) SIR EDWARD YOUDE, G.C.M.G., M.B.E. THE HONOURABLE THE CHIEF SECRETARY SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, K.B.E., C.M.G., J.P. THE HONOURABLE THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SIR JOHN HENRY BREMRIDGE, K.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MR. MICHAEL DAVID THOMAS, C.M.G., Q.C. THE HONOURABLE LYDIA DUNN, C.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHEN SHOU-LUM, C.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE PETER C. WONG, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ERIC PETER HO, C.B.E., J.P. SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY DR. THE HONOURABLE HO KAM-FAI, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALLEN LEE PENG-FEI, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE HU FA-KUANG, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE DONALD LIAO POON-HUAI, C.B.E., J.P. SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION THE HONOURABLE CHAN KAM-CHUEN, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JOHN JOSEPH SWAINE, O.B.E., Q.C., J.P. THE HONOURABLE STEPHEN CHEONG KAM-CHUEN, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG YAN-LUNG, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS. SELINA CHOW LIANG SHUK-YEE, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARIA TAM WAI-CHU, O.B.E., J.P. DR. THE HONOURABLE HENRIETTA IP MAN-HING THE HONOURABLE CHAN NAI-KEONG, C.B.E., J.P. SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS THE HONOURABLE CHAN YING-LUN THE HONOURABLE MRS. RITA FAN HSU LAI-TAI THE HONOURABLE MRS. PAULINE NG CHOW MAY-LIN THE HONOURABLE PETER POON WING-CHEUNG, M.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE YEUNG PO-KWAN, C.P.M. THE HONOURABLE JAMES NEIL HENDERSON, O.B.E., J.P. SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER THE HONOURABLE KIM CHAM YAU-SUM, J.P. 530 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL—29 January 1986 THE HONOURABLE JOHN WALTER CHAMBERS, J.P. SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE THE HONOURABLE IAN FRANCIS CLUNY MACPHERSON, O.B.E., J.P. SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT THE HONOURABLE JACKIE CHAN CHAI-KEUNG THE HONOURABLE CHENG HON-KWAN THE HONOURABLE HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, C.B.E., J.P. DR. THE HONOURABLE CHIU HIN-KWONG THE HONOURABLE CHUNG PUI-LAM THE HONOURABLE THOMAS CLYDESDALE THE HONOURABLE HO SAI-CHU, M.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE HUI YIN-FAT THE HONOURABLE RICHARD LAI SUNG-LUNG DR. THE HONOURABLE CONRAD LAM KUI-SHING THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, M.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LEE CHU-MING, Q.C., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEE YU-TAI THE HONOURABLE LIU LIT-FOR, J.P. THE HONOURABLE NGAI SHIU-KIT, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE PANG CHUN-HOI, M.B.E. THE HONOURABLE POON CHI-FAI PROF. THE HONOURABLE POON CHUNG-KWONG THE HONOURABLE HELMUT SOHMEN THE HONOURABLE SZETO WAH THE HONOURABLE TAI CHIN-WAH THE HONOURABLE MRS. ROSANNA TAM WONG YICK-MING THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG DR. THE HONOURABLE DANIEL TSE CHI-WAI, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ANDREW WONG WANG-FAT THE HONOURABLE HAIDER HATIM TYEBJEE BARMA, J.P. SECRETARY FOR HOUSING (Acting) ABSENT THE HONOURABLE WONG PO-YAN, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE DAVID LI KWOK-PO, J.P. IN ATTENDANCE THE CLERK TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MR. LAW KAM-SANG HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL—29 January 1986 531 Papers The following papers were laid pursuant to Standing Order 14(2): Subject L.N. No. Subsidiary Legislation: Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance. Public Health and Urban Services (Public Markets) (Designation and Amendment of Tenth Schedule) Order 1986 .................................................................................... 10 Legal Practitioners Ordinance. Admission and Registration (Amendment) Rules 1986............................................... 11 Marine Fish (Marketing) By-Laws. Assumption of Responsibility for Markets (Consolidation) (Amendment) Notification 1986.......................................................................................................... 12 Shipping and Port Control Regulations. Shipping and Port Control Regulations (Amendment of Third Schedule) Notice 1986 .............................................................................................................................. 13 Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance. Declaration of Markets in Urban Areas 1986............................................................... 14 Census and Statistics Ordinance. Census and Statistics (1986 Population Census) (Marine) Order 1986 ....................... 15 Census and Statistics Ordinance. Census and Statistics (1986 Population Census) (Land) Order 1986........................... 16 Sessional Papers 1985-86: No. 35—Hong Kong Examinations Authority—Programme of Activities with Auditors' Report and Balance Sheet and Statement of Income and Expenditure together with Statement of Receipts and Payments during the period from 1 September 1984 to 31 August 1985. No. 36—Vocational Training Council Annual Report 1984-85. No. 37—Supplementary provisions approved by the Urban Council during the third quarter of the financial year 1985-86. 532 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL—29 January 1986 Oral answers to questions Information on activities of Trade Advisory Board and Industrial Development Board 1. MR. CLYDESDALE asked: As far as I am aware neither the Trade Advisory Board nor the Industrial Development Board regularly publishes reports or information about its work or its recommendations. In view of the significant decline in the growth of Hong Kong's exports in 1985 will Government consider publishing information or much more information about the work of these two boards since they are so important to the on-going development of Hong Kong's trade and industry? SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY: Sir, may I first observe that the provisional trade figures for December 1985 show that domestic exports for that month registered a growth over both December 1984 and November 1985. Accordingly, while the lack of growth in our exports for 1985 as a whole over 1984 is disappointing, we should not allow that point to cause despair. As I said in this Council on 11 December 1985, 1984 was an extraordinarily good year and our export performance in 1985 over 1983—in itself a year of considerable growth—shows reasonable progress over a two-year period. That said, the Trade Advisory Board (TAB) advises Government on matters affecting Hong Kong's trade, other than trade in textiles and garments. The Industry Development Board (IDB) advises Government on all industrial matters other than labour and those falling within the purview of the Textiles Advisory Board. Information on important issues under consideration, recommendations made and other activities of the two boards is at present regularly made known to the public through suitable publicity arrangements such as the issue of press statements and features, speeches in public fora, briefings and interviews given to the media. Of course, members of the two boards also disseminate information about the work of the boards to the many trade and industrial organisations to which they belong. In the case of the IDB, consultative documents are issued to the trade where appropriate. For the TAB, notification to the trade of new developments are sometimes covered in Commercial Information Circulars issued by the Trade Department. The role, functions and activities of the two boards are also highlighted in relevant Government publications such as the Hong Kong Annual Report and in the case of the IDB promotional materials produced by the Industry Department. PROF. POON: Sir, has the Government any plan to enhance the co-operation between the Trade Advisory Board, and/or the Trade Development Council and the Industry Development Board, such as through a suitably constituted co-ordinated commission, for a more co-ordinated policy to help the weakening local industry? HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL—29 January 1986 533 SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY: Sir, the Government has no plans to integrate further the work of the three separate bodies. But, of course, there is a large degree of common membership between the various bodies and the Government departments concerned work in close co-operation with the TDC. Concessions for elderly citizens 2. MR. CHEONG-LEEN asked: Will steps be taken to set up and co-ordinate a system for the issuance of 'senior citizen cards' whereby senior citizens, say aged 65 or over, can be given certain privileges or special rates in the use of suitable public community facilities or services? SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE: Sir, there are a large number of schemes operated at the district level which provide services for the elderly at concessionary rates. These are mainly initiated and co-ordinated by voluntary organisations such as welfare agencies, service clubs, and partly district boards. The services provided include private medical treatment at special rates, reduced fares on maxicabs, and a number of shops and restaurants give discounts to elderly customers. I do not think that there would be much to be gained by Government being involved in the co-ordination of schemes of this kind. Public services for the elderly are normally either free or heavily subsidised and the question of concessionary rates level does not usually arise. MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Sir, what concessionary rates have been provided by the MTR at present, and if there are none, will the Secretary put forward this suggestion to the MTR? SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE: Sir, as I am aware, there is no concessionary rate for elderly people on the MTR and I have to discuss with the Director of Social Welfare whether it will be appropriate to discuss with the corporation this possibility. MR. HUI: Sir, would it be possible for the Government to take initiative in discussing with semi-public bodies, like the Urban Council, Ocean Park, bus and ferry companies for concessionary rates for elderly people which are already common features extended to senior citizens in many developed countries? SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE: Sir, I understand that the Regional Council in the New Territories is introducing some form of concessionary rates for elderly people for some of their activities.